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“I wouldn’t have said it if I hadn’t meant it.” She offered a small smile and a wink as she echoed my words back to me. “You can listen in, if you want.”
I shook my head. “This is between you and your father. Come with me.”
Chapter 23
Emily
Fear and anxiety gripped me as Logan and I walked upstairs. I wasn’t sure where we were going, exactly. But with Logan at my side, I felt like I could do anything.
I was nervous as hell at the idea of talking to Dad. I knew he was a liar, that he’d lie to me again without thinking twice about it. However, I needed to make sure that Marta was alright. No matter what she’d done, Marta was the only person who’d ever loved me, the only mother I’d ever known.
Together, Logan and I approached the double doors that led to his office. My heart skipped a beat as I realized where we were standing.
“I thought this room was off-limits?”
“Not right now. Best place in the house for a private meeting. Come on.”
He pushed the door open, revealing a massive room with towering windows up to the ceilings and a massive oak desk situated so that it looked out onto the ocean. Bookshelves were neatly arranged on one side of the room, a fireplace with a huge TV over it on the other. A small bar was in one corner, a meeting area of four wing-backed chairs and a black table in the other.
It was an impressive room in a house full of impressive rooms.
“Come here,” he said, nodding toward his desk. “I’ve got Zoom open, let me show you how to use it.”
I stepped around the enormous desk with him and in front of the computer. Logan gave me the basics in using a computer to conduct a video call.
“Do I have to look at him?” I asked, pointing at the video button. “I want to talk to him, but I don’t know if I can handle looking into his eyes while he spits out one goddamn lie after another.”
“I felt the same way, and that’s why I turned off video. Just click here and… done.”
A touch of calm ran through me.
“OK,” Logan said. “I’m going to step out. But know that if you want to, you can end the call at any time. Tell him to fuck off and click the phone icon here.”
“Thank you,” I said. “I just need to do this all on my own.”
He nodded in understanding. “OK. I’ll be in the kitchen when you’re finished. Call when you’re ready by clicking here—his number is the last one in the list.”
Logan prepared to move away. Before he did, however, I threw my arms around him and buried my face into his chest. He placed his hand on my back, and I felt so small in his grasp. I also felt protected, as if he’d do anything for me. Logan had put his own life in danger to make sure I was safe.
He squeezed me one last time.
“Good luck.”
With that, he left me alone in the enormous room at the enormous desk. I watched as he made his way to the other side of the room and left, shutting the door behind him. When I was ready, I clicked the button to call.
The phone rang a few times, and part of me hoped that Dad might not answer.
“Hello?” he asked. “Emily, is that you?”
I cleared my throat and spoke. “It’s me.”
A sigh of relief came from the other side. “Thank God. Em, you have no idea how worried I’ve been since I heard what happened. Hearing that you’re safe and sound makes me so happy.”
His voice was syrupy sweet, slathered with enough fake concern to make me want to puke. It was a good thing that I’d chosen to not do a video call—there was no way I would’ve been able to handle seeing his face while he said those phony as hell words.
“Why is the camera not on?” he asked. “Em, I want to see your face. Please.”
I tensed, the idea of looking at Dad’s face enough to make my stomach turn. My first instinct was to tell him to screw off, that I never wanted to see his face again.
